The electronic scattering due to optical phonons in quantum wells (QWs) is investigated by using a many body perturbative formalism. After analyzing real and imaginary parts of self-energy for a confined electron gas interacting with confined LO-phonons, we concentrate on the imaginary part or scattering rates of electrons in II–VI quantum wells. A detailed study of scattering rates as function of temperature, well-width and carrier concentration for screened and unscreened potential is presented. A comparison of damping between GaAs and CdTe QWs is made; in addition to that, the behavior of CdTe heterostructures as function of well-width, temperature, carrier concentration and screening is followed. Confinement of LO-phonons influences definitely the scattering rates in quantum wells. Particularly in II–VI materials it offers the possibility of tuning scattering rates and polaron life time with the electron layer width.